This Sunday I will be racing back from Sonoma County in hopes of making it home by 9p to order Little Star pizza and watch the final episode (say it ain’t so!) of the “Sopranos” on HBO. This may seem a bit over-zealous, given that I have On-Demand and could watch it anytime, but as I am a person who will text a friend to find out the score of a basketball game, or stay up late watching the Giants go into extra innings, this is nothing.
My post-college room mate introduced me to the show, and, riveted, we watched on her tiny television the videos her father taped for us. Then my parents got hooked and I spent a trip home one spring watching two or three episodes each night. On a winter trip to Rochester my best friend and I holed up in his warm(ish) apartment and watched DVDs obsessively over the weekend. Now I have HBO myself and have watched it faithfully all season — and it’s almost over. Alas!
But it’s time to go. The violence, the cursing, the gratuitous bad behavior demonstrated by most of the characters has taken a toll after years of viewing. Can people really behave like that? Isn’t the show furthering Italian-American stereotypes? Can Carmela really be that shallow? Will A.J. grow up already, for pete’s sake??
Well, no matter. It’s made Sunday nights a little special-er, and has eased the transition into another work-week for too many months to count — and I’ll miss it. And because I’ll be out of town and can’t prepare a proper Italian-inspired feast (pizza, gelato, and red wine will have to suffice), I will leave you with the menu for one I did a few years ago at the close of the season. Fortuitously, Gourmet had done a big spread on Italy around then, and I took my cue from there.
Would Tony have approved?
R.I.P. Sopranos Dinner
Home made Italian bread
Tomatoes with basil and mozzarella
Farfalle pasta w.asparagus/garlic/mushrooms/fresh basil in a white wine/lemon sauce
White beans and roasted tomatoes with pearl onions
Green salad
Lemon olive oil cake with homemade cherry preserves
Two kinds of wine